The Dutch baritone, Laurens Bogtmam, it began to sudy singing only when he was 30 yeas old. He completed his studies in Berlin, with Otto Iro in Vienna and with the great Dutch oratorio singer Aaltje Noordewier-Reddingius in Hilversum.

Laurens Bogtmam made his debut in 1932 in a concert of the Kölner Bachvereins (Cologne Bach Society). He had then a successful career as Lieder and particularly as oratorio singer in Germany and England, in Austria and in his homeland Holland, also in the Far East and in Africa. In 1938 he appeared in concerts at the Salzburg Festival. He sang very often together with the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra under Willem Mengelberg, in particular in its famous performances of Matthäus-Passion (BWV 244) by J.S. Bach. He was considered as a great Bach interpreter.

After World War II Laurens Bogtmam appeared again in Holland, Belgium and France as well as in 1947-1948 in Denmark. He did not appear on the stage.